A Magistrate’s Court in Umuahia, Abia State, has sentenced a 37-year-old man identified as Chiemela Victor Ekeke, to life imprisonment, for sexually assaulting a 4-year-old girl.
The incident happened at Eze Ogbulafor Street in Umuahia, Abia State on Friday, 7 July, 2023.
Ekeke, who is a labourer and farmer from Ndioru in Ikwuano Local Government Area of the State, confessed to being HIV-positive but claimed that his doctor had “flushed” away his viral load.
According to reports, Ekeke reportedly snuck into the home of the girl’s parents after the mother had gone out to get some commodities.
He took the little girl into one room in the building, where he defiled her and inflicted injuries on her private parts.
A neighbour who saw him enter the house promptly identified him, leading to his arrest.
During interrogation by the crowd, the suspect denied defiling the little girl but claimed that “I only carried her in my laps and touched her in the genitals.”
READ ALSO: Cross River Man Kidnaps, Rapes Orphan For Two Months; Jailed For 25 Years
He further claimed that he came to repay the N3,000 debt he owed someone in the yard.
Ekeke, who blamed the devil for his evil act, was later handed over to the Police for investigation and prosecution.
Delivering her ruling on the matter, the Presiding Magistrate, N. Lekwa, said that the court in the last sitting found Ekeke guilty of child defilement.
The prosecution commended the court’s decision as consistent with the law concerning child defilement.
Prior to the life sentence, Ekeke had been discharged on a count of conspiracy, while a second defendant was acquitted due to insufficient evidence linking him to the crime.
Ekeke admitted to having carnal knowledge of the minor but pleaded for leniency.
